SBB is doing a lot to protect the public against railway noise. In recent years, the railway, with the support of the Federal Government, has equipped numerous trains with low-noise braking systems and has built noise barriers.

While steel wheels on rails are very efficient and hence save energy and reduce pollution, the system does have a disadvantage:  it can get loud from time to time. The noise is principally caused by worn, rough wheels and rails.

A substantial proportion of the noise can be prevented at source by using smooth wheels and rails. This is achieved by using modern disc brakes and brake shoes ("brake blocks") made of composite materials. SBB is also having noise barriers built and sound insulating windows fitted to protect its neighbours.

New brakes.

In recent years, SBB has modernised its fleet with new, low-noise passenger carriages and has converted the brakes on older carriages to quieter systems. Thanks to these measures, 97 percent of our passenger carriages are now low-noise. The remaining carriages with the old brakes will be gradually taken out of service in the next few years.

SBB achieved a major milestone at the end of last year: it finished refitting almost 6,500 freight wagons with low-noise equipment, i.e. "K"-type (composite) brake blocks. About 5,500 of these wagons are operated by SBB Cargo and 800 by SBB Infrastructure. In addition, SBB Cargo has purchased 2,000 new low-noise freight wagons. SBB has a particular interest in seeing that foreign rolling stock is retrofitted for noise reduction, as two thirds of the freight wagons passing through Switzerland are foreign-owned.

Noise barriers.

In its referendum on financing public transport (FinÖV) in 1998, the Swiss electorate gave the green light to noise reduction measures on the railway and approved a budget of two billion francs for the purpose. Thanks to the FinÖV money, not only is funding available for rolling stock upgrades but it has also been possible to erect noise barriers and to fit sound insulating windows.

Each year SBB builds over ten kilometres of noise barriers; the total length is now around 270 kilometres.